Book now: Jazz wordsmith Anthony Joseph at Band on the Wall

Afro-jazz melody maker Anthony Joseph is embarking on a run of shows around the UK and France in the lead-up to summer, setting 7 May as the date for Band on the Wall. Not tethered to one form of artistic output, the Trinidad-born vocalist splits his time between music, poetry, lecturing and the written word. On the stage, his all-star band combines musicians familiar to fans of The Comet Is Coming, Salif Keita, Magma and Creole Jazz Orchestra, giving him groovy foundations to weave his lyrical tales around. Last year’s Caribbean Roots LP, released via funky Afrobeat specialist Strut Records, is sure to feature at his Manchester show.

Sun 7 May, Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 5JZ, Tel: 0161 834 1786, 7pm, £12-£16, www.bandonthewall.org